NEWS

Now, it's easier for buyers of structural wood products (mostly softwood) to determine which products are sustainable. The American Wood Council launched its Wood Sourcing Tool which provides insights into the sustainability of structural wood products. Sustainability is based on three categories: non-controversial, responsible, and certified, providing different assurances about sustainable forest management and manufacturing processes.

Russia has been accused of engaging in industrial-scale logging in Ukraine, cutting down large swaths of trees for sale and to strengthen its defensive positions. In a letter to President Putin, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu requested permission to harvest timber and stated that "wood not used for defense will be sold to finance the military operation."

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Nearly one-third of Ukraine's forests, about 7.4 million acres, have been damaged as a result of the Russian invasion. Forest machinery and tools worth more than $11 million and property valued at more than $33 million have been destroyed.

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Vietnam's wood and wood products exports were valued at $4 billion for the first four months of this year. That's a decrease of 28.5% vs. the same period last year. Vietnam's wood products exports alone likely declined by more than 35%.

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DHA, Composite Panel Association, and Hardwood Federation provided a joint response to the Environmental Protection Agency's request for information on construction materials and products with lower embodied greenhouse gas emissions. The comments emphasized that wood products have low embodied carbon—the total amount of carbon emitted during the production process—and that the full building life cycle needs to be considered when assessing low-embodied carbon materials.